08x18 - My True Love

[bunniefuu]

[theme music playing]

[music continues]

[music continues]

[Marjorie] Hello, I'm Marjorie, and I'm an alcoholic.

[all] Hi, Marjorie.

And I haven't had a drink in eight months and 16 days.

[all applaud]

And I haven't been using, either.

[all applauding]

And it hasn't been easy for me.

Any more than it's been easy for any of you.

I'm still the same person who used drugs and alcohol

to try to solve her problems.

Except now I know I don't have to.

And I'm still the same person

who used to try to find an easy way out.

Only now I know there isn't one.

And I'm still the same person

who used to hate herself.

Only now I know I can forgive myself.

What? Mack did what?

He went to talk to your mother.

He's on Long Island right now.

How could he do that to me?

To you?

Oh, come on, Paige.

You let your mom think you were dead.

Well, they must have an awful lot

of catching up to do, Mack and Mom.

I'd love to be there to see them.

Wouldn't you?

[Mack] You look great.

So do you.

-Marion Patrick MacKenzie. -Oh, come on.

No, I don't believe I ever told you my real name.

Listen to me, when we get to California,

-you call me Mack. -[Anne laughs]

-Alright? -Alright.

Mack.

So, um, we've got a flight back at four.

Four? I've got so much to do.

I can't simply hop on a plane.

I've got to stop by the bank and take care of a transfer.

Those horrible European banks, I just hate them.

And pick up my prescriptions, uh...

Can't we take a later flight?

Um, well, uh, sure, yeah.

-There's one at nine o'clock. -Perfect.

[laughs] Okay.

Well...

[emotional music playing]

...sooner or later we're going to have to talk about Paige.

No, we don't.

-Not now, anyway. -[Paige] Talk to her?

Why in the hell would I want to talk to her?

-I know how you feel. -No, you don't.

I mean, I understand why you wanted to punish

your mother and father.

You felt betrayed and abandoned.

Well, that wasn't very hard to figure out.

I was abandoned.

Mack didn't even know he had a daughter.

Mack abandoned me!

Do you really believe that, Paige?

I'll tell you what I believe.

I believe that there are lots of telephones in this world,

and intercontinental jets, and private investigators.

I believe that if he really wanted to find us,

if he really loved my mother...

he would have found us.

Did you ever wonder why,

during all those years...

your mother never tried to find Mack?

[Anne scoffs]

[Anne] Why would I try to contact you?

Please, give me credit for having some pride.

You let my parents buy you off.

-What? -Well, it's in the past.

I just want to know what I was worth.

A lot, I hope.

What are you talking about? There was no payoff.

I saw one of the checks made out to you

for $5,000.

I was just hoping that wasn't the total.

Listen to me.

There was no check, there was no payoff.

If you saw a check, then your father faked it.

That doesn't sound like something Daddy would think of.

Taking money from him, does that sound like something I'd do?

No, it doesn't.

[emotional music playing]

[scoffs] In a way...

it proves how much you loved me.

You went to so much trouble to protect me.

Yeah, kept us apart for 20 years.

It could be worse.

You did find me after all.

In spite of everything.

[dramatic music playing]

Well...

I'm off.

Meet you at the airport?

[door clicks open]

[door clicks closed]

You're the woman of a thousand faces

and a million disguises.

-You do it. -There's no way.

My mother-in-law always says,

"Where there's a will, there's a way."

Your mother-in-law doesn't have to deal with Greg Sumner.

Ah, next you're going to tell me you're still trying

to be intimate with him.

Close, but no cigar.

You've been out with him twice.

Three times, if you count the time we almost had lunch.

Four, if you count the time I ran into his car.

-But? -What can I say?

Some guys are faithful to their wives.

Despite my best efforts.

Why don't you just dress up one of your g*ons

like the Avon lady, and let her do it?

-We got you on Sumner's payroll. -I got me on Sumner's payroll.

To get information.

This little bug will find out what you can't.

Why now?

Sumner's moving some strategic metals.

We need to know when and where.

So?

We need those metals for defense systems.

We don't need some hot dog out there stockpiling on his own.

Building up a secret cache to sell to God knows who.

Now you put that in Sumner's private office.

Where his computer terminal is.

[mysterious music playing]

For a single?

Well, don't you have any special rates for weekends or something?

No. Thank you.

[knocking on door]

Come in.

I wanted to see if you were alright.

You can't stay angry forever.

Look, maybe when your mother gets here you--

When they get here, what?

Say, "Let's pretend this never happened?"

"You were both really great parents?"

"And now let's live happily ever after?"

Paige.

Just forgive them.

Face it.

You're not looking forward to my mother coming here

any more than I am.

That's not true.

-I'd like to meet her. -Right.

And you're not at all worried?

-Worried about what? -[Paige scoffs]

Wait 'til you see my mother.

Oh, sorry. You're above all that.

As a matter of fact,

you probably will like my mother.

She's a very...

romantic person.

Naive, but nice.

You will like her.

Of course she'll hate you, because you ended up with Mack.

You know, Paige...

you really should give your mother credit for one thing.

She sent you out into the world with a lot of...

resources.

You think so?

Maybe.

She's really very good at getting her way.

Better than I am.

That's hard to believe.

No, really. She's good.

In fact, I wouldn't bother cleaning up the house.

I bet mother finds a way

to keep Mack in New York for a while.

She'll catch a cold

or break a leg or something.

[scoffs] She really is very good.

[keyboard clacking]

Well, she could fill in some of the blank spaces in Peter's bio.

Peter's mother is unavailable for comment.

Permanently unavailable.

What does she know that you don't want her to tell?

[laughs] God, you're suspicious.

[Ben] It's just that, uh...

permanently unavailable for comment

sounds like a comment to me.

All Peter's mother could tell you

is that he's the illegitimate son

of an old-time hoofer who's now a poor old lady.

Now, how would that play in Peoria?

There's always the sympathy vote.

[laughs] That's a joke, right?

Did he do well in high school?

[Greg] Didn't we all?

[Ben] Was he on the football team?

[Greg] He played football if you say he played football.

-Is he a veteran? -[Greg] I wish he were.

Maybe you'd comment on whatever it is I can put in his bio.

All I can tell you

is that you're gonna have to do better than the truth.

That's a joke, right?

Yeah.

[door clicks closed]

[man on PA] This is the final boarding call

for passengers traveling on Flight 586 to Los Angeles.

Gate 19.

Last call, Flight 586, gate 19.

All aboard, please.

-Mack. -Hey.

Can we still make that 586?

You have to get to the gate in less than a minute.

-Good, let's go. -Uh, I don't have a ticket.

I've got them. Let's go.

-If you hurry, you can make it. -Thank you.

Will you take care of my luggage?

-Ma'am? -My luggage?

Cancel that. 586 is closed.

[man on PA] Dr. Kerry Rogan,

please pick up the nearest white courtesy phone.

[phone ringing]

Hello? Oh, hi, Mack.

Yeah, well, Anne got stuck in traffic,

and we missed the flight.

Oh. I-- I'm sorry.

When is the next one?

[Mack] Tomorrow, it's the best we could do.

She just didn't feel up to taking the red-eye, you know?

So, see you tomorrow.

Alright, honey. See you tomorrow.

[dramatic music plays]

[Peter] It's getting late.

The sun's still shining in Tokyo, pal.

I don't sleep in Tokyo.

Neither, according to this,

do a lot of Japanese commodities brokers.

They're awake right now, trying to take advantage of me.

There's a lot of heavy trading going on in industrial metals.

You didn't ask me out here

so I could watch you operate your computer.

Ben Gibson's back on the trail of your mother.

That makes two of us.

I still don't know where she went on vacation.

I guess we'll have to wait for a postcard.

[Peter] Why don't you just tell me where you sent her?

[Greg] I would if I could, but I can't.

[Peter] You can't because you don't know...

or you can't because you don't trust me?

[Greg] Why wouldn't I trust my own brother?

For God's sakes, Greg, we're talking about my mother.

I want to know where she is.

Your mother came to me.

She said she hated being in the spotlight,

being the mother of a senator.

She loved it.

Hated being in a goldfish bowl.

Wanted to spend her twilight years

strolling on a beach in the South Pacific.

Now that's the story I want you to tell Ben Gibson.

[Peter] Ben'll never buy that.

[Greg chuckles] A little paranoid, Petey?

[Peter] And I have no reason to be?

You kidnapped my mother,

take her God knows where without telling me.

What do you think she could possibly have to say

that could threaten you?

What threatens me, Petey, is that I have no idea

what she has to say if she got a chance to say it.

[mysterious music playing]

[Karen sighs]

[line rings]

[phone rings]

[line rings]

[Anne laughs]

[jazz music playing]

It does happen. [chuckles]

You know, it's uncanny, you look so much like Paige.

I mean, she looks so much like you.

Yeah, people say that.

This is where we came after we--

Yeah.

-Remember? -Yeah.

[Anne scoffs]

Were you scared?

I was a kid, and I guess that's close to being scared.

I was in love.

That's the same as being scared.

Well, then I was really scared.

[Anne chuckles]

I've never been in love since.

Not really.

I think about it a lot.

I always tried to figure out

what I did wrong to make you leave me.

[chuckles] Now that I know you didn't.

Do you ever think about us, or...

am I just ancient history?

I've thought about us some, sure.

That's the right thing to say.

No one wants to think they didn't matter.

Yeah.

I bet you didn't know I used

to drive by your apartment.

-What? -Yeah.

Late at night.

I'd drive into the city, circle the block,

see if your lights were on.

[scoffs] Why?

Because I wanted to make sure you were home.

I didn't want you to see anyone else.

Oh, come on. I don't believe you.

No other woman was gonna get my man.

Well. [clears throat] I don't know what to say.

I'm flattered.

Hey.

-Want another one? -No.

[Mack] No. The check.

We've got an early flight.

-[sighs] Mack. -Anne.

-You are such a bully. -And you're such a scaredy-cat.

[scoffs] Why?

Because I don't want to get up at some ungodly hour?

Because you don't want to face your daughter.

You haven't learned a lot in the last 20 years...

Marion Patrick.

[Anne chuckles]

You think I'm afraid to see Paige.

You think that's why I don't want to go back.

I'm afraid of you, Mack.

I'm afraid of spending time with you.

[Karen sighs]

[phone rings]

Oh, hi, Mack.

[Val chuckles] No, silly. It's me.

-Oh. -What happened? I thought he'd be back by now.

So did he. He got delayed.

Well, what's the matter? What happened?

Anne.

I mean, Anne got caught in traffic.

When are they going to be getting home?

Not soon enough.

What's up?

Nothing, I was just...

curious how you were getting along with Anne and...

you know, being your pal, I just thought

you might need a little break by now.

Well, pal, I do.

But it's not from talking with Anne, it's from...

thinking about her.

Oh.

I am being so silly.

[Mack] Well, I don't think you're being silly at all.

[chuckles] Of course you do.

Because you don't have a silly bone in your body.

That's probably what attracted me to you in the first place.

A person like me needs a stuffy realist like you around.

Someone who's all intellect

and no emotion.

Someone to keep me in line.

Stuffy realist?

You don't see me as a romantic, eh?

-Hmm, come on, I'm crushed. -[Anne giggles]

Well...

do you think it's possible

for anyone after 20 years to...

Anne.

We have a daughter.

And she needs help. She needs us.

I think I'd better stay here.

You can send Paige back to me.

Fine. Fine.

I've got a plane to catch in the morning.

You do what you want to do.

[man on PA] Flight 871 is now boarding at gate 17.

Final call to Flight 871.

Flight 109 to Chicago...

Mack, I've been looking everywhere for you.

I got here early because there's a concession stand

that actually makes a decent espresso.

I got us a thermos mug for the flight.

And I stole these from mother's [indistinct].

Oh, you mean cook didn't make us anything?

She told me to tell you

that if you'd let me take a later flight,

she would have baked you strawberry tarts.

-Ooh. -We both want you to suffer.

So, how do I look?

Well, you look terrible.

[sighs] You're an evil man.

I look better than anyone has a right to, and you know it.

This is quite an adventure, Mack.

It was in the computer room, under the monitor desk.

[Ben] You didn't know that Gregory Sumner

has his house electronically swept every two weeks?

"We're sorry, we didn't know?"

Hey, our research isn't perfect.

No kidding.

-If you set me up, I swear-- -Nobody set you up, Ben.

You've got nothing to worry about.

Oh, nothing to worry about, my boss finds a bug

right next to his pet computer,

and you tell me I have nothing to worry about?

If he had suspected you,

he would have done something about it already.

-Don't you understand that? -Is this based on information

from your exquisite research department?

-You're losing control. -No, no, you have lost control

to make a mistake this basic.

Basic!

[mischievous music playing]

[Peter] It's getting late.

[Greg] The sun's still shining in Tokyo.

[Peter] I don't sleep in Tokyo.

Did he do well in high school?

[Greg] Didn't we all?

It's decaf, doctor's orders.

Anyway, the, uh--

the roofer finally called with an estimate.

It's high, but, you know, I think we really should do it

before the rains come.

Don't you think so? Hmm?

[Greg cackling]

-What's so funny? -[Greg sighs]

Evidently someone finds the conversations in this house

so interesting they have a need...

to record them.

[scoffs] That's not funny.

What is going on here? What are you up to?

-Me? It's them. -Who, them?

I don't know yet.

[Jean] He's got a very good security system on his computer.

Is this according to your research?

We've been trying to tap into this system for 18 months.

I know some 14-year-old hackers that might be able to help.

-We want you to do it for us. -[Ben grunts]

[Ben scoffing]

Why don't you just have me leave my fingerprints

all over his keyboard?

The procedure's very simple.

Turn on the machine, and press these keys in sequence.

I don't believe you people.

First, your sloppy research

leaves me wide open to detection.

And now you want to use me in a way

for which I'm not even remotely qualified.

In sequence.

Pause long enough between entries

to allow the screen to recover.

Whatever happened to procedure?

You don't even have to read the screen between entries

until after you make the last entry.

What if the numbers are wrong?

Memorize any nine-digit combination of numbers

or any numbers and letters

that you see in the middle of the screen.

What if he has a fail-safe detection system

on his computer that lets him know he's being tapped?

Just bring us those numbers. That's all you have to do.

The entire procedure should take less than 40 seconds.

[dramatic music playing]

So, just remember, there are no guarantees.

-So, can I go to Mark's house? -If you do your homework.

-Oh, hi. -Hi.

So, Brian, get over here and say hello.

Mm. Sit down.

-How was school? -Fine.

What'd you do?

I don't know.

What do you mean, you don't know?

-Well, how was work? -It was fine.

What'd you do?

-[laughs] See what I mean? -Mm-hmm.

-You want another one of those? -[chuckles] No.

Olivia, how was the meeting?

It was alright.

[scoffs] It was a lot easier than the first time.

I can't tell you how proud I am of you.

[Olivia] Brian.

Wait.

[sighs] Here.

The ones you kept wanting to borrow,

and I said for you not to touch.

You can have them.

To keep.

You don't have to give them back.

[sighs] Do you think this is a good time?

-Postponed it long enough. -We've had good reason.

Well, we postponed it because of Empire Valley

and because of the elections.

That was for your benefit.

If I let you keep doing things for my benefit,

we'll postpone this divorce until I'm dead and buried.

[woman makes announcements on PA]

Mack.

-[sighs] Hi. Hi. -[Mack] Hi.

-Oh, gosh, I missed you. -[Mack chuckles]

-How was the flight? -It was good.

-Good. Where's, uh-- -She's getting the bags.

Oh.

How is she taking it?

Well, she's nervous.

-That makes two of us. -Yeah. Huh?

What?

Uh, what happened to Paige? Paige didn't come with you?

Oh. Oh, no. She's-- she's--

Karen?

-Oh. -Anne, hi.

-Welcome. -[Anne] Thank you.

It's so silly.

I always lock my luggage.

I don't know why.

But then I can't find the keys.

Oh. [scoffs]

I should hang these around my neck.

[Karen chuckles]

What a great family car.

Well, it's handy.

For things like picking up luggage.

[both laugh]

I hope you had a good flight.

Butterflies all the way.

I don't mind saying I'm--

I'm very anxious about seeing my daughter.

How is she?

Well, she's as nervous as you are.

Where are we, uh--

Well, she's waiting for you at-- at our house.

[Mack clears throat]

You know, at least I hope

you know, that Jill Bennett is not--

I didn't come here to talk about Jill.

Jill Bennett is nothing more than, uh...

a brunette Valene.

Can we just get on with it?

Of course being with Jill was exciting.

-Abby, come on. -But not because of her.

Because you were cheating.

Cheating turned you on, Gary.

Not Jill.

[Gary sighs]

I think the divorce settlement is quite generous, so.

And the problem you're going to face

is just how unexciting

married life is going to be with little Miss Jill.

Well, not for her, certainly.

She doesn't know any better, but...

you do.

Well, after all your lying and cheating,

a little boredom will be quite a relief.

You know I'm right.

As I was saying, I think the settlement

-is quite generous, so. -[Abby] It is.

It is generous.

-But it's not enough. -What?

It's not enough.

Ah! [exclaims] Here we are.

Paige?

Paige?

-Let me check upstairs. -Alright.

[Mack] Paige?

Mm, you have a beautiful house, Karen.

-[Mack] Paige? -Thank you very much. We, uh...

-like it. -[Mack] Paige?

-Can I, uh-- -Thanks.

-May I fix you a... -Oh, no, I'm fine, thank you.

Good.

Well, she's not here right now.

-Oh. Um. -[Anne sighs]

Well, maybe I will have something

after all.

While we're waiting.

Yeah, good.

[knocking on door]

It's kind of an emergency.

-Anne is very attractive. -Yeah, I guess.

Of course she's had the money

and the time to spend on looking good.

She always has.

-Look good or had the money? -Both.

And if we don't get back out there,

she's gonna know we're talking about her.

-She speaks French? -I wouldn't be surprised.

I don't speak French.

Well, I'll get you some tapes and you can learn. Come on.

You know, it's very hard for me to imagine

what it would have been like if you and, uh,

Anne would have gotten married.

Hard for me to imagine, too.

But it would certainly have been different.

Different? You mean better?

Yeah, sure. That's exactly what I mean.

Vamonos. Spanish.

-Two years. -Watch the door.

English all my life.

Would you like an hors d'oeuvre?

No, thank you.

Here you go.

I'm sorry Paige isn't here.

I wouldn't worry too much about her, Karen.

She has a theatrical streak.

I'm sure she's planning a grand entrance.

Anne, uh, you know, staging her own death,

isn't that a little too theatrical?

Mack.

[Anne] I don't mind talking about it, Karen.

It was theatrical.

[Anne sighs]

Perfect theater, in fact.

She got to die, and then resurrect herself.

I can't imagine how painful it must have been for you to...

think your daughter was dead.

Yes.

[sighs] I'm sure she was quite pleased with that.

Why would she do that?

She was very angry when she found out

Mack was her father.

She wanted to hurt me.

It really was a great plan showing up here,

bringing Mack back into the picture.

Then he had to go get me.

I'm sure Paige expects us

to live happily ever after.

I know it sounds a bit romantic...

[scoffs]...but...

she really is a very resourceful young woman, don't you think?

I was going to check into a hotel under a phony name

so that my mother didn't know where to find me.

But I got so depressed that I--

I didn't want to stay alone.

Well, I don't mind.

You know, I really don't have to stay.

It's fine with me if you do.

Well, just talking about it, I feel better already.

Good.

I'll call a hotel.

Well, if that's what you want.

[romantic music playing]

Would it bother you if I stayed on the couch?

No.

But, um...

I think you'd find my bed...

more comfortable.

I mean, I know she's probably just a regular person,

and I-- I-- I shouldn't be nervous,

but I mean, she's so famous.

I mean, how am I going to do it tomorrow?

I wonder if she's as pretty in person as she is--

Whenever I see her on TV,

she's always wearing so much makeup.

[Val sighs]

Ben, I mean, Debra Kensington

is going to be playing me. [laughs]

God, I mean, what am I going to say when I meet her?

"I love your work?" I do like it, but...

Oh, it's going to sound stupid.

[Val sighs]

I just can't believe

that she is going to be doing

my script.

Oh, it's too much.

[phone ringing]

Would you get the phone, hon?

[ringing continues]

-Ben? -Sure.

-Yeah? -They've gone.

Uh, no, thank you.

I don't want any, uh, magazine subscriptions.

As a matter of fact, I've got so many,

I can't deduct them from my taxes any longer.

By the way, let me tell you, I don't like people

that canvass for magazine subscriptions.

[Val] Did you ever have a chance to read my final draft?

The one with all of Dan Miller's changes?

No.

Ben, what's gotten into you?

No, I'm just distracted, that's all.

Distracted?

So distracted that you're putting on your coat?

Yeah, I have to go down to the office and do some work.

-What? -Office, work, me.

-Alright? -No, that is not alright.

You wait right there.

You haven't paid one bit of attention

to anything I have said all evening long.

Now, maybe you don't think that my script is very important,

or what I have to say is very important.

Did I say that?

But you are going to pay attention to me now.

When you were a reporter, you had emergencies.

Okay, fine. You were a reporter.

I never liked your getting up in the middle of the night,

but I never complained because you were a reporter,

but you're not a reporter now.

You're working on some nine-to-five job.

-I said I've got work to do. -And I don't?

I've got a million rewrites,

but I guess you just don't consider that real work.

I know. Alright, wait, wait.

Why don't I go down to the office

and you stay here in case the kids wake up?

How about that?

You can do what you want to do.

Your mom's here to take care of the kids.

No, Ben, you don't--

What do you think that I do all day?

I sit around here and eat bonbons?

I barely have time to breathe with two kids,

let alone write.

I am going to meet tomorrow

with the leading lady

on my very first film script,

and I want you here.

Have you ever thought that maybe, just maybe,

what I have to do is just as important as what you do?

Has it ever occurred to you that maybe, just maybe,

what I'm doing, I'm doing for you?

I don't need your tantrums anymore.

[door slams]

I never asked you to do anything for me!

The boys will be home soon. Maybe Paige is with them.

She's lovely, Mack.

Yeah, I'm lucky.

She's just the kind of woman I'd imagine you with.

Looks like you have the family I always wanted.

Paige said that she couldn't get along with your husband.

-That's a strange thing to say. -She said he abused her.

That's one of the reasons she ran away.

I can't stand the way

that she's taken advantage of you, Mack.

She hasn't seen her stepfather since she was two years old.

I'm divorced.

Didn't I tell you?

[dramatic music playing]

Ah, Mr. Sumner is not at home and is not expected until--

No, I know. Uh, I understand.

I-- I just came by to pick up some papers

that I left here when I was doing some research yesterday.

-Oh, may I then-- -No, no, I know where they are.

[keyboard clacking]

[mysterious music playing]

-Hi. -[Karen] Hi, honey.

-Have you seen Paige? -No.

Michael, this is Anne Matheson.

-Oh, hi. -Paige's mom.

Wow, a pleasure to meet you.

Well, aren't you a charmer?

You must have broken a few hearts already.

Do you have any idea where Paige is?

Uh, no, I don't. I'm sorry.

Well, um, if you'll excuse me.

Alright, honey.

What?

Well, she's not at a hotel anywhere.

Yeah? Why?

I'd bet money she's with Peter Hollister.

Peter Hollister?

Alright.

[phone ringing]

[Peter grunts]

Answer that phone, and I'll k*ll you.

Oh.

-Alright. -[Peter laughs]

I'll move to a hotel.

[answering machine] Hi, this is Peter Hollister.

I'm not here right now, so please

leave a message at the tone.

-Thanks. -[Peter moans]

[tone beeping]

[Mack] Hi, it's Mack MacKenzie.

Please give me a call at 555-6049.

-Thank you. -[phone clicks]

[suspenseful music plays]

[music intensifying]

[lock clicks]

[theme music playing]

[music continues]